Photo: St. Bonaventure Athletics
BY ANDREW HALE, SPORTS EDITOR
Following a 3-10-3 record in 2022, the St. Bonaventure men’s soccer team looked to the transfer portal in an attempt to improve talent on both sides of the ball.
Fast forward a year, and the Bonnies have added 12 new players to their roster, posting a 4-3-2 overall record to begin this season.
Leading the way for the Bonnies is junior forward Andres Javitt, a Venezuelan native and transfer from Montgomery College. Javitt has a team-high five goals and 12 points for Bonaventure this season.
“My first season at St. Bonaventure has been really good as of now,” said Javitt. “I think that there is an amazing environment with the team, and I’ve been very well received by my teammates and coaches. I’m looking forward to continuing to help the team accomplish the objectives we set at the beginning of the season.”
Another Bonnie who is making his mark on the program is junior midfielder Kenzo Brito. Brito played in the Sun Belt Conference at Marshall from 2020 to 2022 and scored a goal and recorded an assist in 2022 before transferring to Bonaventure.
Brito has already surpassed his 2022 season totals, tallying three goals, four assists and 10 points in his first eight games at Bonaventure.
“I feel like with each game I’m playing better and feeling comfortable,” said Brito. “But I intend to continue improving to help the team and achieve great things this season.”
Graduate student midfielder Mo Tall, a transfer from Patriot League’s Bucknell, has already made an impression on the Bonaventure coaching staff.
“[Tall] is very dynamic, and he’s fun to watch,” said Bonaventure head coach Kwame Oduro. “He’s very explosive and very direct. He just causes a lot of people problems, and so that’s always exciting to see.”
Before sustaining an injury against Niagara on Sept. 13, Tall recorded three assists in five games.
“I strive to bring those qualities to the field every time I play,” said Tall. “Being dynamic means I’m always looking for ways to change the game, whether it’s through quick passes, dribbling, or making runs into space. Explosiveness helps me in one-on-one situations, and I want to entertain our fans with exciting plays whenever I can.”
While Bonaventure found talent in conferences such as the Sun Belt and the Patriot League, they also found talent within the Atlantic 10 Conference. After spending his first two years at Dayton, junior forward Rashid Aroza transferred to Bonaventure prior to the 2023 season.
“My first season at St. Bonaventure has been great so far,” said Aroza. “The coaches and my teammates have all helped me feel comfortable here. I think I will have a good season here, having started off on the right foot.”
In eight games, Aroza has found the back of the net twice.
“I came into this season with something to prove, not only to myself, but to my friends and family,” said Aroza. “I believe my success has come from my preparation during the summer and preseason. I remember a past coach told me that ‘When preparation meets opportunity, good things happen.’”
While the Bonnies welcomed 12 new transfers to the squad in 2023, the team has also relied on veteran leadership, according to senior defender David Cubillos.
Cubillos, who has spent all four years at Bonaventure, has looked to be a role model for his newer teammates.
“I’ve done my best to give them advice on the pitch so they can do their best to match the greater intensity the A-10 brings than what they might be used to,” said Cubillos. “However, I’ve also given them advice on how to keep up with their academics as playing two games a week can make it hard to manage your time. The freshmen have been adapting well, and I hope they can learn a lot during their first collegiate year.”
The Bonnies look to use their experience from veterans and newcomers to successfully navigate through a rigorous A-10 schedule.
“We haven’t made the playoffs since my freshman year, and I’m hoping that in my last season with the Bonnies, we can make it happen,” said Cubillos. “I hope to use my experience of playing in the A-10 for multiple seasons to help the team in any way I can. Being a defender, my goal is to minimize scoring opportunities and secure clean sheets for these upcoming games.”
The Bonnies travel to Dayton Saturday as they look to secure a victory over the No. 2 ranked team in the A-10 preseason poll.
“My mindset and the team’s mindset are always the same when it comes to facing tough teams like Dayton,” said senior goalkeeper Jules Dechert. “We are highly determined to give them a tough game and try to get points out of it. It is always natural to be highly motivated when you play big names.”
halea22@bonaventure.edu
